hate waiting, but a new idea

[+mchaos]

I hate waiting for my hides to get published, but that comes with the game. While waiting for my latest hide I thought of an idea for a hide.

 

I was thinking of a way to make the value of finding this cache a little higher. At least for the first to find any way. I just want to get the opinion of others before doing it.

 

I was thinking about hiding a cache in a really cool spot, but letting it sit there for maybe a year before I even post the coords.

 

The thinking is that its something that's been there waiting undisturbed for a long time before any one even finds it.

[knowschad]

Sorry, but you lost me here. I fail to understand both the "how" and the "why".

 

If you don't create the cache page first, another cache could be placed before you are ready to "go live" with your unpublished cache.

 

If you create the cache page and uncheck the "Yes, this listing is active" checkbox, I would expect your reviewer to say something to you long before the year has passed by.

 

And why would it be particularily cool for the FTF, or anyone else for that matter, to find a cache that has been sitting out, unpublished for a year?

Edited July 24, 2009 by knowschad

[+Jeep4two]

I hate waiting for my hides to get published, but that comes with the game. While waiting for my latest hide I thought of an idea for a hide.

 

I was thinking of a way to make the value of finding this cache a little higher. At least for the first to find any way. I just want to get the opinion of others before doing it.

 

I was thinking about hiding a cache in a really cool spot, but letting it sit there for maybe a year before I even post the coords.

 

The thinking is that its something that's been there waiting undisturbed for a long time before any one even finds it.

 

Interesting concept - but you will have to keep an eye on your cache to ensure it's still there, and properly maintained else the FTF could be disappointed.

 

I could also be great therapy for your aversion to waiting for a cache to publish

[+Snoogans]

I hate waiting for my hides to get published, but that comes with the game. While waiting for my latest hide I thought of an idea for a hide.

 

I was thinking of a way to make the value of finding this cache a little higher. At least for the first to find any way. I just want to get the opinion of others before doing it.

 

I was thinking about hiding a cache in a really cool spot, but letting it sit there for maybe a year before I even post the coords.

 

The thinking is that its something that's been there waiting undisturbed for a long time before any one even finds it.

 

LOL. I already did that, several times, but in a couple of instances it wasn't exactly intentional.... I'll be back with linkys...

[+mchaos]

Sorry, but you lost me here. I fail to understand both the "how" and the "why".

 

how: Place the cache but not submit it for a while.

 

Why: I like to find the older cache's. there's something about finding one that's been there a while and is still there. I'd like to place a new cache that has that same air about it. So some one can get the first to find but still find an older cache.

[knowschad]

Sorry, but you lost me here. I fail to understand both the "how" and the "why".

 

how: Place the cache but not submit it for a while.

 

Why: I like to find the older cache's. there's something about finding one that's been there a while and is still there. I'd like to place a new cache that has that same air about it. So some one can get the first to find but still find an older cache.

 

See my edited post above. I added some stuff.

[+Snoogans]

I'll be back with linkys...

 

Here's an unintentional one: (one of 3 or 4 for that trip as I recall)

 

Forgive me TB gods for I have sinned. The inspiration for this cache comes from the fact that it was hidden OVER one year ago with several TBs inside. I deleted the coords from my GPSr accidentally and left my notes in a storage container that remained unopened until THIS year. DOH! I didn't want to bother MtnFrog and Camel to go looking without proper coords and well, I couldn't find my notes......

 

These 7 castaways that spent 1 year in this cache are:

 

Hauptstadt

PEZ-Head

ROPArun

Run Cheetah!

The Opener

Westward Ho

You can call me Al(uminium)

 

This one was intentional because it was a hide in plain sight.

 

I have had this spot staked out for over a year now. If the cache lasts it may prove to be one of the most unique hides you'll ever encounter.

[gojkgo]

I had to chuckle that a thread about waiting an unusually long period of time to publish a cache was titled "Hate waiting." The whole thing seems a bit masochistic.

[+Avernar]

If you don't create the cache page first, another cache could be placed before you are ready to "go live" with your unpublished cache.

There's a way to do it. You'd have to circle your sleeper cache with other caches less than 528 feet away to protect the spot. After a year you archive the others and publish the sleeper.

[+Snoogans]

Sorry, but you lost me here. I fail to understand both the "how" and the "why".

 

If you don't create the cache page first, another cache could be placed before you are ready to "go live" with your unpublished cache.

 

OOO! OOOO!

 

He's right about THAT!

 

This was one of those other unintentional left out for a year caches I was talking about.

 

I was publishing them because the namesakes if this particular cache were planning a 4wd event and cachin'/camping weekend and my caches were to be featured prominently. It just happened to be a bonus that I already had new hides ready to go.

 

There was a problem gettin' that one published because another cache had been published 80' from the original placement. With their help the placement was changed and the cache was published later. Notice the finds BEFORE the publish date.

[+mchaos]

Sorry, but you lost me here. I fail to understand both the "how" and the "why".

 

If you don't create the cache page first, another cache could be placed before you are ready to "go live" with your unpublished cache.

 

If you create the cache page and uncheck the "Yes, this listing is active" checkbox, I would expect your reviewer to say something to you long before the year has passed by.

 

And why would it be particularily cool for the FTF, or anyone else for that matter, to find a cache that has been sitting out, unpublished for a year?

 

I wouldn't even put it in on the site for a while. Even if some one puts another cache near by, this one will still be one that has been there un touched for a while.

 

If I were to do this, I would put something special in it that could last the year

 

Personally I don't think its that hard to understand.

[+hukilaulau]

Slightly off topic:

Several times I have had caches not approved or just changed my mind after I placed them. Instead of going right out to pick them up, I've waited until I found a good spot for a hide somewhere nearby, then picked up the one "in the field." I kind of like the idea of having containers "cached" out in the wild in the dictionary sense of the word.

BTW, the idea of surrounding a spot you want to save with guardian caches... Brilliant!!!

[+mchaos]

I had to chuckle that a thread about waiting an unusually long period of time to publish a cache was titled "Hate waiting." The whole thing seems a bit masochistic.

 

HAHA, yeah but it got me thinking. If I hid a cache and some one can find it right away, its not that amazing. Its there and can be found. If you did wait, it would make it more interesting.

 

It would also be interesting to see if the cache made it. I would hide it, and let it go. I would want to see if it was still there and in good standing.

 

I am sure a lock n lock or an ammo can would be fine.

[+briansnat]

I'm not sure what the point would be, or how it adds to the "value" of the cache. It's not like it's cheese or wine and will improve with time. In fact its more likely that the FTF will encounter a soggy mess.

[+Avernar]

BTW, the idea of surrounding a spot you want to save with guardian caches... Brilliant!!!

It's a variation of the practise of reserving a spot for a special cache you need time to construct by putting a micro cache there for a while. In this case however the sleeper cache is already in place so you need a ring of guardians as you don't want them near the sleeper.

 

You have to be careful that the 528 foot radius circles made by the guardians overlap sufficiently so that another cache doesn't sneak into a gap in the protection zone (usually where the circles curve into each other).

[+Castle Mischief]

I don't get it.

[+Avernar]

I'm not sure what the point would be, or how it adds to the "value" of the cache. It's not like it's cheese or wine and will improve with time. In fact its more likely that the FTF will encounter a soggy mess.

At first I though it was an odd idea but I see some neat things about it. Having the local cachers think "You mean that was there all this time?" is amusing. Especially if they've been to find the guardians nearby.

 

Plus it would be cool to see how many people found it before it was published. That would peeve the FTF hounds.

[knowschad]

Sorry, but you lost me here. I fail to understand both the "how" and the "why".

... snip!

... snip!

Personally I don't think its that hard to understand.

 

Well, of course you don't.

 

Older caches (as in, YEARS old, early caches) are cool because of their history, not just because they've been sitting around outdoors for a year. In my opinion, of course! No, sorry... I'm as confused as ever.

[knowschad]

Plus it would be cool to see how many people found it before it was published. That would peeve the FTF hounds.

 

They wouldn't be able to log it. Not a Found It, or even a note or Needs Maintenance log.

 

I can see the forum posts now:

 

Subject: Abandoned Cache

"I was out caching the other day when I stumbled upon a cache that is no longer listed here. What should I do about it?"

 

Reply:

"There are other listing sites besides geocaching.com. Or, it could be a letter box"

[+Snoogans]

I'm not sure what the point would be, or how it adds to the "value" of the cache. It's not like it's cheese or wine and will improve with time. In fact its more likely that the FTF will encounter a soggy mess.

At first I though it was an odd idea but I see some neat things about it. Having the local cachers think "You mean that was there all this time?" is amusing. Especially if they've been to find the guardians nearby.

 

Plus it would be cool to see how many people found it before it was published. That would peeve the FTF hounds.

 

What you're talking about is what I call "DOH! Factor."

 

I use Terracaching.com (okay not much anymore, but still) to do that.

 

I had a TB cache in an abondoned VW bug. The GC cachers all knew the cache was "Bigger than a .50 cal. ammo can" if they bothered to look at the size or read the page. Wellll, on the same car was a hide a key terracache called "Goin' to Uranus and Lookin' Fer Klingons."

 

The FTF was the same on BOTH caches but more than a week apart even though both caches were active. The caches were less than 7 feet apart and NO GCer EVER found the TC on accident. That's DOH! Factor.

 

Just havin' a cache out there unlisted for giggles doesn't really sound like fun or even DOH Factor to me.

[Dinoprophet]

Years ago, the Huron-Clinton Metroparks had a popular series of multis, a new one each year. I know that for at least one of these, some of the containers were left out for over a year "to weather".

[Motorcycle_Mama]

I still don't get the "why".

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Thanks for reminding me!

 

I put out a multi about a year ago where one stage was too close to an existing cache, so it couldn't be published.

 

I meant to go back and fix it but forgot about it!

 

It'll be interesting to see how it has held up.

[knowschad]

Thanks for reminding me!

 

I put out a multi about a year ago where one stage was too close to an existing cache, so it couldn't be published.

 

I meant to go back and fix it but forgot about it!

 

It'll be interesting to see how it has held up.

 

Plus it'll be cool to see how many people found it before it you picked it up. And how many peeved FTF hounds there were.

[+Avernar]

They wouldn't be able to log it. Not a Found It, or even a note or Needs Maintenance log.

Eventually they could. The CO could get a GC number and put it in the cache along with "This cache will be published on such and such a date".

[knowschad]

They wouldn't be able to log it. Not a Found It, or even a note or Needs Maintenance log.

Eventually they could. The CO could get a GC number and put it in the cache along with "This cache will be published on such and such a date".

 

how: Place the cache but not submit it for a while.

 

No submit = No GC number.

[+Snoogans]

They wouldn't be able to log it. Not a Found It, or even a note or Needs Maintenance log.

Eventually they could. The CO could get a GC number and put it in the cache along with "This cache will be published on such and such a date".

 

Ummm, that might cause an uncomfortable frustration level. Kinda like dangling a vial of crack in front of a jailed crack addict.

Edited July 24, 2009 by Snoogans

[+Avernar]

Just havin' a cache out there unlisted for giggles doesn't really sound like fun or even DOH Factor to me.

 

Plus it'll be cool to see how many people found it before it you picked it up. And how many peeved FTF hounds there were.

One of the things I've leaned from caching is that everyone gets their jollies in a different way. To each his own. All I'm saying is I see some merit to the idea.

 

Personally I want my caches found right way. The last one I entered the listing details and submitted it on my BB right near the cache site.

[+Avernar]

No submit = No GC number.

That's not true. You can always reserve GC numbers. A local cacher was trying to get GCZZZZ a while back so he has a whack of GCZZ?? IDs hanging around. Every time we saw a new cache published starting with GCZZ it was "What did Res2100 put out this time?" Incidentally, he missed GCZZZ but got GZ10000.

[+Avernar]

Ummm, that might cause an uncomfortable frustration level. Kinda like dangling a vial of crack in front of a jailed crack addict.

That's probably the best reason I've heard for doing this sort of thing.

[knowschad]

No submit = No GC number.

That's not true. You can always reserve GC numbers. A local cacher was trying to get GCZZZZ a while back so he has a whack of GCZZ?? IDs hanging around. Every time we saw a new cache published starting with GCZZ it was "What did Res2100 put out this time?" Incidentally, he missed GCZZZ but got GZ10000.

 

I'd sure like to hear how that trick was done. Those are automatically generated sequence IDs. Must be a ultra-platinum member to have powers to reserve waypoint names!

[+StarBrand]

Sounds a bit interesting but I generally place caches for folks to find them. Not so they become a rare vintage. Maybe that is just me though.....

[+succotash]

Don't get the point of waiting a year, but there may be reason to wait at least a little while...

 

I hope no one from our local area is reading this - we've never shared this with anyone! A few years ago a cache was published in a swamp-ish area that we were quite familiar with from non-geocaching activities. Since we knew the area, we decided to take a change of shoes and stop by on our way to work. (This was before the FTF craze hit our area.) We allowed plenty of time to search and got there just before sunrise. As we started in, we saw footprints in the muddy road. We looked at each other. Yes, the footprints of the cache placer went exactly to the point by the side of the road where the cache was tucked, then turned and headed right back out.

 

It was great to be there, we heard coyotes and lots of owls as the sun began to rise. And, since we like the area and it was too early to go to work, we did walk a bit farther down the road and into the woods before returning (it turns out the actual challenge for those who followed was getting to the parking area). But, I can udnerstand a cache placer wanting to at least ensure their own geotrail is a bit masked before the listing goes active.

 

Bean

[Dinoprophet]

I don't care about irritating FTF hounds (who WILL get irritated). But I think it would be an interesting experiment to hide a cache, not TOO hard to find, and see how many people sign the logbook (people seem to be missing that concept). I like reading logs for people who found caches accidentally. One of my archived caches became something of a register for the spot it was at when I didn't pick it up immediately.

[+flask]

sounds goofy and pointless to me.

 

finding an old cache is cool to me. more specifically, an old PUBLISHED cache. an old PUBLISHED cache has history.

 

the coolness comes from how long it's been active, not how long the box can sit outside.

 

i think this is the second-worst idea i've heard.

[+The Blorenges]

OK.

 

I've been thinking about this. (Did you hear the cogs whirring?)

 

Trying to get some interesting idea for mchaos to work with...

 

Find your cool spot. Hide cache. This has to be a mystery cache. Find a suitable parking location about 3 miles from the cache, make this your top of page co-ordinates.

 

The cache starts off as 5* difficulty. The decription just says "Cache is within 3 miles of co-ordinates."

 

No hint. Let them search. Let the frustration start.

 

3 months later (assuming it hasn't been found) add another sentence "It's not near a tree." (or whatever) Drop difficulty rating to 4.5*.

 

Continue drip feeding information onto the page and gradually decreasing the difficulty rating.

 

Eventually someone will find it.

 

(But you may have to leave town before then to avoid the lynching party.)

 

MrsB

[+Snoogans]

sounds goofy and pointless to me.

 

finding an old cache is cool to me. more specifically, an old PUBLISHED cache. an old PUBLISHED cache has history.

 

the coolness comes from how long it's been active, not how long the box can sit outside.

 

i think this is the second-worst idea i've heard.

 

OOO! OOO! What's the worst?

 

*Snoogans crosses his fingers and hopes it's O.D.S.*

[+Avernar]

I'd sure like to hear how that trick was done. Those are automatically generated sequence IDs. Must be a ultra-platinum member to have powers to reserve waypoint names!

He told us once. He had dozens of tabs open in his browser with just the minimum info filled in. He would submit one every so often and when it got close to GCZZZZ he hit submit on all of the remaining ones. But like I said, he didn't get GCZZZZ. He got GCZZZY: Game Over and GC10000 - A New Beginning.

 

GCZZZZ: PMC - The Final Challenge was eventually published almost 2 years later.

[+Tobias & Petronella]

I understand the idea about finding older caches, but there's the problem with the OP idea.

 

Even if you waited 5 years before publishing the cache, the day that it gets listed it is a brand new cache. It may be a little dirty and a little wet, but it's brand new and those 5 years of waiting will mean nothing to anybody else. If a geocacher finds it they my think it's geo-trash and remove it. The longer it's out the higher the chance that it's going to get muggled. If I wanted to, I could go and hide something today and claim the it's been out there 8 years and nobody would know the otherwise.

 

You can't rush history. It would be better to make it look like the cache is very old and come up with a good story about this "lost cache".

[+flask]

 

i think this is the second-worst idea i've heard.

 

OOO! OOO! What's the worst?

 

*Snoogans crosses his fingers and hopes it's O.D.S.*

 

i hadn't really thought about it, but i assume there is a worse idea out there.

Edited July 24, 2009 by flask

[knowschad]

You can't rush history. It would be better to make it look like the cache is very old and come up with a good story about this "lost cache".

 

Now, there is a very cool idea!

[+J-Way]

No submit = No GC number.

That's not true. You can always reserve GC numbers. A local cacher was trying to get GCZZZZ a while back so he has a whack of GCZZ?? IDs hanging around. Every time we saw a new cache published starting with GCZZ it was "What did Res2100 put out this time?" Incidentally, he missed GCZZZ but got GZ10000.

I'd sure like to hear how that trick was done. Those are automatically generated sequence IDs. Must be a ultra-platinum member to have powers to reserve waypoint names!

Just submit cache after cache, but do NOT check the "ready for review" box. Each submittal gets a new number.

 

BTW, this really irks the reviewers who see it as an abuse of the system.

[knowschad]

Just submit cache after cache, but do NOT check the "ready for review" box. Each submittal gets a new number.

 

BTW, this really irks the reviewers who see it as an abuse of the system.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking. Needlessly use up database resources just so you can get a "cool" waypoint? Not only the reviewers, but I'd think that "The Business" would come down on him for that. I suppose, though, that its hard to know where to draw the line.

[+mchaos]

Humm, I didn't think this would get that much attention. I am going to do this, but with every ones suggestions I have fine tuned the idea and I am going to do the following.

 

I like the idea of guardian caches to protect the secret cache. I am going to start with that. I am going to hide one in the center of the guards. I am going to leave it un submitted for at least a year. I don't care if it has a geocaching number yet.

 

Inside it is going to explain the cache being there and why it is not listed. Basically so no one goes ahead and makes a big deal about it on a forum etc. There is going to be a log in it and the rules are going to be to leave something, but take nothing to build the cache, and don't tell any one.

 

After a year is over I will post the cache and on the cache page it will explain the cache and I will post all of the signatures on the log before the cache was actually officially posted on geocaching.com on the main cache page as people who found the secret cache before it was listed.

 

So the people who find this secret cache will eventually be listed as people who found the cache without knowing it was there and finding it by chance. So they will have a status above some one to get the FTF. I think I will put a new geocoin or something in it so that the first person to find it does get something special.

 

So for a year we will see how many people can find it, and put something in it to start it.

 

When it is published it will explain the whole "experiment".

 

Also, I will disable and archive the guardian caches before posting of the hidden cache.

 

I am sorry if that makes no sense to any one. It makes sense to me and I personally would be stoked to find a secret cache knowing that when it is finally posted I would be listed as someone who found it before it was listed.

 

After that point it will have some history and hopefully enough people will have found the secret cache and left something to start it off so that when it is finally posted it will be a great cache.

 

Also I am going to make the cache container something special too.

 

Of course any one local who has read this is going to jump on it the second I hide a circle of caches lol, so there may be a dummy circle to throw them off!!!

Edited July 25, 2009 by mchaos

[knowschad]

Of course any one local who has read this is going to jump on it the second I hide a circle of caches lol, so there may be a dummy circle to throw them off!!!

 

There is nobody from New Jersey that posts here. Is there BrianSnat?

[Mushtang]

So the people who find this secret cache... will have a status above some one to get the FTF.

I don't think you understand what the letters FTF stand for.

[+JABs]

Just submit cache after cache, but do NOT check the "ready for review" box. Each submittal gets a new number.

 

BTW, this really irks the reviewers who see it as an abuse of the system.

 

Did this once to a good friend of mine who was about to hide a cache in an area so made a listing for every 160mters alaround his hide and when he submitted it the reviewer posted him back a note saying it was to close to another cache. Took him a week before I gave in and moved them out the way.

[+mchaos]

So the people who find this secret cache... will have a status above some one to get the FTF.

I don't think you understand what the letters FTF stand for.

 

Uh.... First to find??? Its only a FTF if its listed on the site and you find it. So if you find it before its listed its something above first to find it. there will be one person to officially the person to get the first to find, but they will not be some one who was some one to find it when it was secret. Yes there will be some one to find it first as a secret cache, but that would be unofficial.

 

I am done trying to explain this. Oh and harry dolphin is from NJ, has found some of my caches, and lives in NJ and posts on this forum. As well I have spoken with a few people who post here that live in NJ that post on the forum, thats kind of a stuck up kind of statment. Oh, and I post here, I am from NJ.

 

I am getting a bit aggravated because a lot of people are bashing me and some people are acting like know it all supreme caches and are being very closed minded.

 

If you don't like the idea thats fine, no need to run it into the ground and make accusations that I am stupid and don't know what FTF means...

 

Can some one please close this thread?

Edited July 25, 2009 by mchaos

[+Chrysalides]

There is no such thing as an official first to find.

Edited July 25, 2009 by Chrysalides

[+Chrysalides]

Note to self : read all the posts before replying.

 

Edit : double oops (sigh. I'm going to sleep now)

Edited July 25, 2009 by Chrysalides